Best Very Best 100 Whole Wheat Bread Recipes

EASY 100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the warm water, honey, and yeast in a stand-mixer bowl until mixture becomes foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add half the whole wheat flour, olive oil, and salt to the mixture. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until incorporated. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Mix with a dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly adding the remaining whole wheat flour, increasing the speed to high. Mix on high until the batter is combined and not sticking to the sides of the bowl, about 7 minutes. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Flour a surface to work the dough.
• Place the dough onto the floured work surface and shape into a loaf. Use more flour if necessary. Place into the prepared loaf pan.
• Let shaped dough sit in a warm place until it has risen over the top of the pan, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until top of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from the pan and transferring to a wire rack. Let cool an additional hour before slicing; otherwise it will feel doughy.

100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat the water, butter, and molasses over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes (to 120-130 degrees F).
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 2 cups of the flour, the salt, and yeast. Add the liquids and mix on low until moistened.
• Continue to mix on low and add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until dough is firm (you might need a little more or less than 4 total cups). Knead with the mixer for 3-5 minutes or by hand for 5-8 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and let sit for 10 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a rough rectangle about 10 inches wide and 12 inches long. Roll up dough and into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled again, 30 minutes.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, until loaf is golden brown. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.

THE VERY BEST WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together 3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, and quick-rise yeast until well combined.
• Add the water and mix for one minute, scraping down bowl halfway through. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• Uncover the bowl and add the salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice. Beat for 1 minute.
• Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing well between each cup. Knead the dough in the mixer (still using the dough hook) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and feels smooth rather than sticky. This usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, but if your dough pulls away and loses its stickiness sooner, it could take as little as 5 minutes.
• Grease two nonstick bread pans measuring 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" to 9" x 5" x 3" each (or grease two regular bread pans and then line them with parchment paper). Preheat the oven to lukewarm by setting it to 350°F and then turning it back off after exactly 1 minute.
• Turn the dough onto a greased surface. Evenly divide it into two loaves. Form and place the dough into the prepared bread pans, gently pressing it into the corners.
• Place the pans in the warm oven and allow them to rise for 20 to 40 minutes, until the dough is nicely domed above the tops of the pans. Without removing the pans from the oven, turn on the oven to 350°F and set the timer for 30 minutes. The bread is done when the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F to 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Once the loaves are baked, immediately remove the hot bread from the pans to cool on a rack.

VERY BEST 100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Mix water, yeast, oil, honey, and molasses.
• While yeast is proofing (if not instant), grind flour.
• I start adding 10 cups flour, salt, dough enhancer, and wheat gluten, while yeast is proofing (no wait necessary if using instant yeast). Mix until even consistency.
• Add remaining flour minus about 2 cups.
• Mix until the consistency is some what even. Then continue to slowly add flour 1/2 Cup at a time until the dough quits sticking to the sides of the bowl. It should be tacky to the touch. The trick is to have enough consistency to stand up with the least amount of flour so the bread will be fluffy. It will most likely be around 15 cups (I believe it may be less if you are in a lower altitude area). If the dough mixture isn't "cleaning" the sides of the mixer, it is too wet. I sometimes add up to one additional cup -- I think altitude and humidity influence how much is needed, as well as how packed the flour is (if I get my mill full and "packed" the recipe takes less flour -- hence the need to add a l/2 cup at the end of the ingredient addition process.
• Mix on medium speed 5-7 minutes in Bosch or other heavy duty mixer.
• Put dough in a greased bowl to rise for 30 minutes (will get about about double in size).
• Shape loaves and put into 4 greased loaf pans, let rise another 30 minutes (I use a kitchen scale and my loaves are very close to 2 pounds each).
• Put loaves in preheated 350 degree oven and bake 36 minutes.
• I let it cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then 20 minutes on a rack.
• I wrap in plastic wrap then store in a bread bag. We eat a lot of bread (toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch -- family of 6) so I am able to keep a couple of loaves out and a couple in the freezer. It's gone in a week. Enjoy!

SIMPLE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
• Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.